Calamity hits Sorech in Upper Chitral, as flood washes away 80% of the village
By Fakhr-e-Alam
CHITRAL: Flash floods have caused severe damage in Sorech village, located in Torkhow Valley, Upper Chitral. At least 45 houses have been completely destroyed, and 11 others have sustained partial damage. Tragically, two people have lost their lives. Additionally, two mosques and a Jamatkhana have either been completely or partially damaged by the floods that occurred earlier today.
Key infrastructure, including roads, cultivated fields, markets, and other facilities in Sorech village, has also suffered extensive damage.
Locals report that more than 80% of the village has been washed away, leaving the population in dire straits.
“This is one of the most remote villages in Torkhow Valley in Upper Chitral. The lack of mobile service has made communication impossible, and we don’t know the full extent of the destruction caused by this sudden flood,” said residents familiar with the situation.
According to local sources, other parts of Chitral’s two districts have also experienced large-scale destruction due to multiple floods.
Magpie News, an online local publication, reports that 25 houses were damaged in Yarkhonn Valley, 16 in Golen, 6 in Mori, and 4 in Reshun Valley yesterday.
The Aga Khan Agency for Habitat (AKAH) volunteers were the first responders to the disaster, followed by the district administration of Upper Chitral.
Rescue teams have been dispatched to the affected area, and tents are being provided to those displaced. However, the village is facing a severe shortage of clean drinking water, as pipelines have been washed away. The lack of mobile services and poor road access are further complicating the situation for the residents.
